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If you are concerned about this "privacy issue" you should try Smarter Wi-Fi Manager from Kismet Wireless: https://www.kismetwireless.net/android-swm/ https://w

If you are concerned about this "privacy issue" you should try Smarter Wi-Fi Manager from Kismet Wireless: https://www.kismetwireless.net/android-swm/ https://www.kismetwireless.net/android-swm/ But in newer versions of Android (afaicr > 7.0) is no longer using an aggressive approach (visible to other devices), it just passively collect frames (https://plus.google.com/+mikekershaw/posts/DmpQ2no5bEk https://plus.google.com/+mikekershaw/posts/DmpQ2no5bEk) so it's no longer an a privacy issue to have this option on those versions, still would recommend SWM to increase security.

ljcn 9y ago
Interesting, but requires location to be on, which is also a battery drain and privacy issue. (I have location on only when needed.) I wonder which is better - WiFi always on and location off, or location on and WiFi sometimes off?
- SadWebDeveloper 9y ago
  afaik SWM doesn't require location (gps) it uses your cellphone towers as the mechanism to find out if you are near those towers were you usually have wifi. But speaking on your questions... Location On, Wifi Off offers better security IMHO, specially in the case your phone gets stolen/lost you may at least use that information find it or at least report to the authorities it's location the trade-off is that google/nsa et al will always know your location but unless you are Snowden or paranoid, you probably wont mind. Also in the latest version (at least on the Beta afaik) you can activate Wifi Scanning, which uses the passive/aggresive mechanism mentioned on the article to find out if you are near the AP and turn on your wifi.
edwhitesell 9y ago
My Android 7 phone still sends WiFi probes anytime I wake the screen. Even though the power saving features are disabled such that it remains connected while the screen is off. There's a lot Android could do better in this area.
- SadWebDeveloper 9y ago
  If WiFi is on this is an expected behavior; The article is referring is when WiFi its off, haven't seen my android 7.0 launching probes on the network with WiFi-Scanning on and WiFi off, with WiFi on it does what you are describing.

ljcn 9y ago

Interesting, but requires location to be on, which is also a battery drain and privacy issue. (I have location on only when needed.) I wonder which is better - WiFi always on and location off, or location on and WiFi sometimes off?

SadWebDeveloper 9y ago
afaik SWM doesn't require location (gps) it uses your cellphone towers as the mechanism to find out if you are near those towers were you usually have wifi. But speaking on your questions... Location On, Wifi Off offers better security IMHO, specially in the case your phone gets stolen/lost you may at least use that information find it or at least report to the authorities it's location the trade-off is that google/nsa et al will always know your location but unless you are Snowden or paranoid, you probably wont mind. Also in the latest version (at least on the Beta afaik) you can activate Wifi Scanning, which uses the passive/aggresive mechanism mentioned on the article to find out if you are near the AP and turn on your wifi.

edwhitesell 9y ago

My Android 7 phone still sends WiFi probes anytime I wake the screen. Even though the power saving features are disabled such that it remains connected while the screen is off. There's a lot Android could do better in this area.

SadWebDeveloper 9y ago
If WiFi is on this is an expected behavior; The article is referring is when WiFi its off, haven't seen my android 7.0 launching probes on the network with WiFi-Scanning on and WiFi off, with WiFi on it does what you are describing.